Daily Readings

[24] God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” [25] The woman said to Him, “I know that Messiah is coming” (who is called Christ). “When He comes, He will tell us all things.” [26] Jesus said to her, “I who speak to you am He. ” [27] And at this point His disciples came, and they marveled that He talked with a woman; yet no one said, “What do You seek?” or, “Why are You talking with her?” [28] The woman then left her waterpot, went her way into the city, and said to the men, [29] “Come, see a Man who told me all things that I ever did. Could this be the Christ?” [30] Then they went out of the city and came to Him. [31] In the meantime His disciples urged Him, saying, “Rabbi, eat.” [32] But He said to them, “I have food to eat of which you do not know.” [33] Therefore the disciples said to one another, “Has anyone brought Him anything to eat?” [34] Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me, and to finish His work. [35] Do you not say, ‘There are still four months and then comes the harvest’? Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look at the fields, for they are already white for harvest! [36] And he who reaps receives wages, and gathers fruit for eternal life, that both he who sows and he who reaps may rejoice together. [37] For in this the saying is true: ‘One sows and another reaps.’ [38] I sent you to reap that for which you have not labored; others have labored, and you have entered into their labors.” [39] And many of the Samaritans of that city believed in Him because of the word of the woman who testified, “He told me all that I ever did.” [40] So when the Samaritans had come to Him, they urged Him to stay with them; and He stayed there two days. [41] And many more believed because of His own word. [42] Then they said to the woman, “Now we believe, not because of what you said, for we ourselves have heard Him and we know that this is indeed the Christ, the Savior of the world.”

[10] For “He who would love life And see good days, Let him refrain his tongue from evil, And his lips from speaking deceit. [11] Let him turn away from evil and do good; Let him seek peace and pursue it. [12] For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, And His ears are open to their prayers; But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.” [13] And who is he who will harm you if you become followers of what is good? [14] But even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you are blessed. “And do not be afraid of their threats, nor be troubled.” [15] But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear; [16] having a good conscience, that when they defame you as evildoers, those who revile your good conduct in Christ may be ashamed. [17] For it is better, if it is the will of God, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil. [18] For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit, [19] by whom also He went and preached to the spirits in prison, [20] who formerly were disobedient, when once the Divine longsuffering waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight souls, were saved through water. [21] There is also an antitype which now saves us—baptism (not the removal of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God), through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, [22] who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, angels and authorities and powers having been made subject to Him.

[1] Now it came to pass, afterward, that He went through every city and village, preaching and bringing the glad tidings of the kingdom of God. And the twelve were with Him, [2] and certain women who had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities—Mary called Magdalene, out of whom had come seven demons, [3] and Joanna the wife of Chuza, Herod’s steward, and Susanna, and many others who provided for Him from their substance. [4] And when a great multitude had gathered, and they had come to Him from every city, He spoke by a parable: [5] “A sower went out to sow his seed. And as he sowed, some fell by the wayside; and it was trampled down, and the birds of the air devoured it. [6] Some fell on rock; and as soon as it sprang up, it withered away because it lacked moisture. [7] And some fell among thorns, and the thorns sprang up with it and choked it. [8] But others fell on good ground, sprang up, and yielded a crop a hundredfold.” When He had said these things He cried, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear!” [9] Then His disciples asked Him, saying, “What does this parable mean?” [10] And He said, “To you it has been given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God, but to the rest it is given in parables, that ‘Seeing they may not see, And hearing they may not understand.’ [11] “Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God. [12] Those by the wayside are the ones who hear; then the devil comes and takes away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved. [13] But the ones on the rock are those who, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, who believe for a while and in time of temptation fall away. [14] Now the ones that fell among thorns are those who, when they have heard, go out and are choked with cares, riches, and pleasures of life, and bring no fruit to maturity. [15] But the ones that fell on the good ground are those who, having heard the word with a noble and good heart, keep it and bear fruit with patience. [16] “No one, when he has lit a lamp, covers it with a vessel or puts it under a bed, but sets it on a lampstand, that those who enter may see the light. [17] For nothing is secret that will not be revealed, nor anything hidden that will not be known and come to light. [18] Therefore take heed how you hear. For whoever has, to him more will be given; and whoever does not have, even what he seems to have will be taken from him.” [19] Then His mother and brothers came to Him, and could not approach Him because of the crowd. [20] And it was told Him by some, who said, “Your mother and Your brothers are standing outside, desiring to see You.” [21] But He answered and said to them, “My mother and My brothers are these who hear the word of God and do it.”

[1] Now the apostles and brethren who were in Judea heard that the Gentiles had also received the word of God. [2] And when Peter came up to Jerusalem, those of the circumcision contended with him, [3] saying, “You went in to uncircumcised men and ate with them!” [4] But Peter explained it to them in order from the beginning, saying: [5] “I was in the city of Joppa praying; and in a trance I saw a vision, an object descending like a great sheet, let down from heaven by four corners; and it came to me. [6] When I observed it intently and considered, I saw four-footed animals of the earth, wild beasts, creeping things, and birds of the air. [7] And I heard a voice saying to me, ‘Rise, Peter; kill and eat.’ [8] But I said, ‘Not so, Lord! For nothing common or unclean has at any time entered my mouth.’ [9] But the voice answered me again from heaven, ‘What God has cleansed you must not call common.’ [10] Now this was done three times, and all were drawn up again into heaven. [11] At that very moment, three men stood before the house where I was, having been sent to me from Caesarea. [12] Then the Spirit told me to go with them, doubting nothing. Moreover these six brethren accompanied me, and we entered the man’s house. [13] And he told us how he had seen an angel standing in his house, who said to him, ‘Send men to Joppa, and call for Simon whose surname is Peter, [14] who will tell you words by which you and all your household will be saved.’ [15] And as I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell upon them, as upon us at the beginning. [16] Then I remembered the word of the Lord, how He said, ‘John indeed baptized with water, butyou shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’ [17] If therefore God gave them the same gift as He gave us when we believed on the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could withstand God?” [18] When they heard these things they became silent; and they glorified God, saying, “Then God has also granted to the Gentiles repentance to life.” [19] Now those who were scattered after the persecution that arose over Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch, preaching the word to no one but the Jews only. [20] But some of them were men from Cyprus and Cyrene, who, when they had come to Antioch, spoke to the Hellenists, preaching the Lord Jesus. [21] And the hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number believed and turned to the Lord. [22] Then news of these things came to the ears of the church in Jerusalem, and they sent out Barnabas to go as far as Antioch. [23] When he came and had seen the grace of God, he was glad, and encouraged them all that with purpose of heart they should continue with the Lord. [24] For he was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith. And a great many people were added to the Lord. [25] Then Barnabas departed for Tarsus to seek Saul. [26] And when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. So it was that for a whole year they assembled with the church and taught a great many people. And the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch.

[35] Then Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people. [36] But when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd. [37] Then He said to His disciples, “The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few. [38] Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.” [1] And when He had called His twelve disciples to Him, He gave them power over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease. [2] Now the names of the twelve apostles are these: first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother; [3] Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James the son of Alphaeus, and Lebbaeus, whose surname was Thaddaeus; [4] Simon the Cananite, and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed Him. [5] These twelve Jesus sent out and commanded them, saying: “Do not go into the way of the Gentiles, and do not enter a city of the Samaritans. [6] But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. [7] And as you go, preach, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ [8] Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons. Freely you have received, freely give. [9] Provide neither gold nor silver nor copper in your money belts, [10] nor bag for your journey, nor two tunics, nor sandals, nor staffs; for a worker is worthy of his food. [11] “Now whatever city or town you enter, inquire who in it is worthy, and stay there till you go out. [12] And when you go into a household, greet it. [13] If the household is worthy, let your peace come upon it. But if it is not worthy, let your peace return to you. [14] And whoever will not receive you nor hear your words, when you depart from that house or city, shake off the dust from your feet. [15] Assuredly, I say to you, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment than for that city!

[1] And again He began to teach by the sea. And a great multitude was gathered to Him, so that He got into a boat and sat in it on the sea; and the whole multitude was on the land facing the sea. [2] Then He taught them many things by parables, and said to them in His teaching: [3] “Listen! Behold, a sower went out to sow. [4] And it happened, as he sowed, that some seed fell by the wayside; and the birds of the air came and devoured it. [5] Some fell on stony ground, where it did not have much earth; and immediately it sprang up because it had no depth of earth. [6] But when the sun was up it was scorched, and because it had no root it withered away. [7] And some seed fell among thorns; and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it yielded no crop. [8] But other seed fell on good ground and yielded a crop that sprang up, increased and produced: some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some a hundred.” [9] And He said to them, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear!”